Very inventive. but I'm afraid the comments are correct. it can hurt getting hit on the shield strapped and padded that way. not to mention the bare edge is dangerous. If you are interested in this type of activity check out www.sca.org. we put on armour every weekend and fight.

all the "metal" shields ever used were wood, covered in leather padding for absorbing shock, then coated in metal to prevent cuts. this shield would get your arm broken the first time a mace tapped it.

or use a bolt and capnut,or blind rivets, or screw straps to back of wood first, and then screw the resulting assembly from frontside of shield. Idea is great, execution could do with a bit more TLC. Love the distressed " rusty Viking " look though. But I'm not a babe, so my opinion don't count.